Hairpin dispensing apparatus



1951 E. F. HUGHES HAIRPIN DISPENSING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 9, 1948 I 35 31 4 36 so INVENTOR. wm f Get. 16, 1951 HUGHES 2,571,450

HAIRPIN DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed April 9, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

F|G.7 FIG. 8 f

f atentecl Get. i6, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAIRPIN DISPENSING APPARATUS Edward F. Hughes, West Roxbury, Mass.

Application April 9, 1948, Serial No. 20,050

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for dispensing hairpins and the like. More particularly it provides apparatus for delivering hairpins, or comparable articles, one at a time to a pick-ofi station and having means automatically operable for delivering a pin to the pick-off station in response to withdrawal of a preceding pin from said station. n

In beauty parlors and the like where so-called permanent waves, wave sets and other types of waves are imparted to the hair of patrons, the handling of the considerable number of hairpins required in connection with the treatment of the hair of each patron has been a source of annoyance to both the operator and the patron. Sometimes a supply of hairpins is held in a container arranged on the shoulder or arm of the patron, or on a magnetic holder arranged on the arm or wrist of the patron, and the operator reaches and disengages single hairpins from the supply as required. Or, frequently, the patron holds a supply of hairpins and hands them one at a time to the operator as she calls or reaches for them. Also, it has been proposed heretofore to provide a hairpin dispenser which could be manually actuated by the operator to effect delivery of a single pin in response to each manual actuation of the dispenser.

All of these prior practices and proposals have been troublesome and inefficiently time-consuming. Patrons resent being annoyed by the prior pin-handling practices, and the operator wastes much time and energy reaching for and separating single pins from a supply, or actuating prior manual dispensers which require considerable energy to be applied for each pin-delivering actuation.

It is among the objects of my present invention to provide a hairpin dispensing apparatus which is adapted to deliver single hairpins in succession at a pick-off station which may be conveniently located relative to a permanent wave operator, and at which station each single hairpin conveniently projects for easy and eflicient pick-off by the operator, the apparatus being automatically responsive to each pick-off of a pin for delivering another pin to the pick-off station. I provide mechanism for feeding hairpins one at a time from a supply into operative relation to a plunger, and the pin which at any time is next to be delivered stands stationary so long as a preceding pin is at the pick-off station but when the pin at the pick-off station is withdrawn, the pin waiting to be delivered automatically is delivered to the pick-off station to take the place of the withdrawn pin, and still another pin moves into waiting position.

Another object is to provide a hair pin dispensing apparatus wherein hairpins are delivered one at a time to a pick-off station by electrically operated means whose circuit is closed only during each relatively brief interval when a hairpin is being delivered to a pick-off station. The electrically operated means moves a pin forward to the pick-off station in response to energization of the electrically operated means, and circuitcontrolling means coacts with a pin at the pickofi station to maintain the circuit open so long as a pin is in position to be picked OE, and is responsive to close the circuit whenever a pin at the pick-off station is withdrawn. When the pick-off station is entirely free of a pin, the circuit controlling means reacts to close the circuit until a next succeeding pin is advanced to the pick-off station to effect a re-opening of the circuit.

Yet another object is to provide a hairpin dispensing apparatus wherein a stack of mutually adhering hairpins constantly is resiliently urged toward a delivery plunger thereby to position the endmost pin of the stack in delivery relation to the plunger, there being means coacting with the plunger for severing the endmost pin of the stack from the adjacent pin and for delivering the severed pin to a pick-ofi station in response to withdrawal of a preceding pin from the pickoff station.

It is, moreover, my purpose and object generally to improve the structure, operation and eificiency of hairpin dispensing mechanism, and especially such mechanisms designed to deliver pins one at a time to a pick-off station in response to withdrawal from said station, of a preceding pin.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a hairpin dispensing apparatus embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the mechanism of Fig. 1, with a supply of hairpins in operative relation thereto, and with a hairpin at the pickoff station;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the apparatus of the earlier views, but with parts omitted for clearness of showing of the plunger mechanism;

- Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

of the apparatus Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view on line 1-1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a block of adherin hairpins; and

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the block of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings, a generally horizontal table In is rigid on the upper end of a carrier frame I2 which has substantial generally vertical depending extent below the table and which itself may be mounted in any desired manner, such as by having the oppositely disposed lugs I 4 for pivotal suspension of the carrier frame I2 on a convenient support (not shown). The table II] projects beyond the carrier frame l2 at the front of the apparatus forsupporting a: de= livered hairpin 16 at a pick-off station indicated generally at I8.

Rigidly secured to the upper side of table ID are the guide members 20, 22 which are spaced apart to provide a raceway 24' within which a plunger 26 is movable in directions toward and from the pick-off station l8; Plunger 26 is connected to, or a part of, the armature 28 of an electro-magnet 30 which is mounted at the-rear end of the table by any suitable means, such as brackets 32 at opposite sides of the electromagnet, only one of which is visible in the drawings. The brackets are shown secured to a vertical wall of the carrier frame l2. When the electro-magnet is energized, its armature 28 and plunger 26 are thrust forward toward the pickofi station I8. A coil spring 34' has one end connected at 36 to the electro-magnet and has its other end connected at 35 to plunger 26, so that the armature and plunger are retracted by spring 34 when the electro-ma'gnet is de-energized, as later will appear, following each forward movement thereof.

The carrier frame [2, below the forward portion of table Hi has vertical frame members arranged to receive between them a vertical stack 38 of hairpins, and a vertically slidable member 40 engages under the stack and constantly urges the stack toward the table by reason of the coil spring 42 which has one end anchored at 44 to a fixed part of the carrier frame I 2, and which extends upward through the table and over the sheave 46' and thence downward through the table to the slidable member 40' to which its other end is connected at 48. Sheave 46 is rotatably mounted on a bracket 50 secured at the upper side of table I'll.

An opening 52 in the table, opposite the stack 38 of hairpins, is of size and shape to permit the upper-most pin of the stack to engage the under side of plunger 26 above the plane of the top of table [0, in position for its loop end to be engaged by the plunger 26 and be carried thereby to the pick-off station I6 when the plunger moves forward in response to energization of electromagnet 30. v

In the embodiment of the invention herein represented, the depending frame I 2 comprises a front plate element 54, the centrally disposed rear bar element 56 and, below each sideof table l0, two spaced apart bar elements 58.- The lower ends of the frame elements 54, 58 are rigidly connected to a horizontal plate member 60 which is rigidly secured to frame element 56by brackets 62, only one of which is visible in the drawings. Plate member 60, inconsequence, is a rigid part of the frame and has a relatively large opening 64 therethrough for pasage of the hair pins 38 4 and the slidable member 40. The frame part 56 extends forwardly as at 51 for steadying and guiding the stack of hairpins 38 and the member 40 which straddle the portion 51 as they pass upward through opening 64, as best seen in Figs. 5 and 6.

Slidable member 40 has cross-sectional shape generally the same as the hairpins and engages .thelowermostpin of the stack, being constantly -member 60, its lower end conveniently being equipped with a ring 14, or the like, by which the'slidable member 40 may be drawn downward through the' opening 64, against the resilient tension of spring 42, to permit replenishing of the supply of hairpins.

However, before attempting to replenish the supply of hairpins; the device preferably will be swung about its supporting lugs l4 to bring its lower end abovethetable I0, so that any hairpins remaining in the stack 38 will be supported on the plunger 26. Then the slidable member 40 may be drawn in upward direction through the opening 64 and be temporarily held in its dotted position of Fig. 2, as by being engaged over a projection 16 on the" frame. Hairpinsthen may be added to the stack 38 by inserting them through the opening 64 inplate member 60, after which the slidable member 40- is released and allowed to bedrawn back through opening 64 into engagement with the endmost hairpin of the replenished stack. When the device is swung back to its operative position of Fig. 2, the slidable member 40 resiliently urges the stack upward against the plunger 26, as previously described.

Energization and de-energization' of the electromagnet 30' is under the control of a switch indicated generally at T8 which conveniently may be mounted on bracket 50-, above the table I0. Switch 'IBhas a push button at its front side which, when pressed inward, closes an electric circuit through electro-magnet 30, thereby to cause the armature 28 and plunger 26 to be thrust forward" for advancing the uppermost pin in the stack to the pick-off position in which the pin I6 is portrayed in Figs; 1 and 2. The'switch', at its rear side, has a second button 82 which, when pressed inward, opens the circuit through the electro-mag'net). following which the armature and plunger are retracted by' the spring 34.

Pivotally mounted relatively high up on the front wall of the housing is a depending arm 84 which carries a roller 86 at its lower end, and a spring, 88 constantly urges the arm in counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2. When ahairmn is in the pick-off position, as at IS in Figs. 1 and 2. the roller 86' resiliently engages it, pressing it against table l0 and holding it in its projecting position onthe table until it ultimately is picked off. As the pin is being picked off the table lo, the roller carrying arm 84 swings a little clockwise (Fig. 2) with the movement of the pin andtlie'ri-swings' counter-clockwise (Fig. 2 under the urge". of-i'tsspring- 88; Inasmuch as the pick-off position is now vacant of a pin, the arm 64 swings counter-clockwise enough to engage andactuate the switch button 80 to close the' circuit through the electro-magnet 30, which resultsin delivery of"a-nothe'r'pin to the pick-off position, as previously expmm'ed. The newl delivered pin ..holds.the. roller-carrying arm' 84 away from switch button 80, as shown in Fig. 21

Moving forward with. the armature and plunger upon each energization of electro-magnet 39 is an actuating member on which engages and actuates switch button 82, to open the circuit, as the plunger 26 approaches its foremost position, following which the spring 34 retracts the plunger, as previously explained, and the circuit continues de-energized until the pin in the pick-off position is removed.

It will be found desirable, in most cases, to provide a second switch 92 below the table II] and normally closed but adapted to be opened in response to near depletion of the supply of hairpins in stack 38. As shown, the switch 92 is mounted on the frame element 56 and has a button 94 overlaid by a Spring arm 96 which extends into the path of a projection 98 on the slidable member 40. If the stack of pins becomes depleted to an extent which permits member 40 to approach close to table I9, the projection 98 on member 40 will actuate spring arm 99 to depress switch button 94 to open the circuit. A second switch button I90, and a manual actuator I02 therefor, may be provided for re-closing switch 92.

A feature of importance, which contributes to the efiiciency of my hairpin dispensing apparatus, resides in providing integral blocks or stacks of hairpin in which a multiplicity of hairpins are secured together in superimposed rezlation so that a supply stack 38 consists of blocks of adheredtogether pins. This greatly facilitates packaging and handling of pins and simplifies the operation of replenishing the supply in the stack 38. Each forward actuation of plunger 26 severs the uppermost pin from the adjacent pin in the stack. Such an integral block of pins is represented in side elevation in Fig. 8 and in top plan in Fig. 9.

I have found that hairpins can be produced in the integral block condition of Fig. 8 so as to have needed smoothness of exterior surfaces of the severed pins without the customary enamel coating thereon, which enables me to supply hairpins in quantity at a cost socomparatively low that the pins handled by my dispensing apparatus may be discarded after a single use, with great saving of time and labor which has been involved to collect, arrange and package the prior hairpins after each permanent wave has been completed. Ordinarily, the large number of hairpins used in connection with each permanent wave are withdrawn from the hair by passing a relatively powerful magnet over the head, after which the pins, heretofore, had to be taken from the magnet and arranged in some suitable way for re-use. My single-use pins may be quickly wiped from the magnet into any convenient disposal receptacle, and a patron can be assured that all pins used in her hair will be fresh and sanitary.

I claim as my invention:

1. Hairpin dispensing apparatus, comprising means for holding a stacked supply of hairpins, a plunger slidably mounted adjacent to one end of the said stack and adapted to move an endmost pin of the stack to a pick-off position, a spring constantly biasing the plunger in direction away from said pick-01f position, said plunger having a portion disposed between the legs of said endmost pin of the stack closely adjacent to the closed end of that pin, electrically operated means for actuating the plunger against its said bias in direction toward said pick-off position thereby to deliver said endmost pin of the stack to the said pick-off position, means responsive to a pin delivering to said pick-off position for opening the circuit to said electrically operated means,

whereby the plunger is moved byits said spring away from said pick-01f position, a relatively long coil spring constantly urging the stack of pins toward said plunger, said stack and plunger being so arranged and adapted that each endmost pin or the stack moves between the legs of the pin in said pick-off position when moving into delivery relation to said plunger, and means responsive to withdrawal of a pin from said pick-off position for closing an electric circuit to said electrically operated means whereby the said plunger delivers another pin to replace the one withdrawn from the pick-oil position.

2. Hairpin dispensing apparatus, comprising a pick-off support for a hairpin, a plunger slidably mounted for movements toward and from said support, resilient means biasing the plunger in direction away from the support, electrically responsive means for moving the plunger against its said bias in pin-delivering relation toward the pick-off support, means, open toward said plunger, for holding a stack of hairpins, a member mounted for sliding movements toward and from one end of said stack, resilient means biasing said member against the hairpin at one end of the stack whereby the endmost hairpin at the other end of the stack is urged into delivery relation to said plunger, said member being manually movable against its said bias in direction away from the plunger to permit replenishing of the said stack, and means responsive to each withdrawal of a pin from said pick-off support for energizing said electrically responsive means whereby the plunger delivers the adjacent endmost pin of the stack to the pick-off support to replace the withdrawn pin.

3. Hairpin dispensing apparatus, comprising a frame including portions for holding a supply of hairpins in a stack, means at an upper portion of the frame for pivotally suspending the frame on a support with the main extent thereof hanging, under the influence of gravity, below said pivotally suspending means, and with the said stack vertically disposed, said frame including a horizontal member set across the upper end portion of the stack and extending horizontally to a pickoff position, a plunger slidably mounted above said horizontal member and movable in directions toward and from said pick-01f position, said horizontal member having an opening therethrough, resilient means urging the stack upward within said frame thereby to position the uppermost pin of the stack through said opening into delivery relation to said plunger, electro-responsive means for moving the plunger toward said pick-off position, thereby to deliver the uppermost pin of the stack to said pick-off position, resilient means biasing the plunger in the opposite direction, and means responsive to withdrawal of a pin from said pick-oil position for energizing said electro-responsive means, whereby the plunger delivers another pin to replace the pin withdrawn from the pick-ofi position.

4. Hairpin dispensing apparatus, comprising a frame including portions for holding a supply of hairpins in a stack, means at an upper portion of the frame for pivotally suspending the frame on a support with the main extent thereof hanging, under the influence of gravity, below said pivotally suspending means, and with the said stack vertically disposed, said frame including a horizontal member set across the upper end portion of the stack and extending horizontally to a pick-01f position, a plunger slidably mounted '75 above said horlzontat member andi movable .ini directions toward-andiromsaid pick-0th position; said hori'zontal member havingan openinglth'erethrough, resilient meansurging: thesta'cknpward within-said-frame thereby to position the upper,- most' pinofthe' stack through saidopening into; delivery relation to: said plunger electro-responsive means for moving' the plunger towardlsaid pick -ofi position,- thereby to deliver the upper-: most-pin of the stack-tosaidpick-off position, resilient means biasing the plunger in the oppositedirection, means responsive towithdrawat of, a pin from the pick-01T- position for. energizing. said electro-responsive means, whereby the plunger delivers another pin to replace the withdrawn pin at the pick-off position, and means for de-energizing said electro-responsive means when the plunger-has moved a pin to the pickofiposition, whereby the plunger moves in the opposite direction under the influence of its said a biasing means.

5. Hairpin dispensing. apparatus, comprising. a pick-offsupport for a hairpin, a plunger slidably mounted for movements toward and from said support, resilient means biasing the plunger in direction away from the support, electrically responsive means for moving the plunger against its said bias in pin-delivering direction toward the pick-off support, means for feeding hairpins in succession into delivery relation to the plunger, whereby each said pin-delivering movement of the plunger carriesapin to said pick-off support, pivoted means above the pick-off support and biased into engagement with apin on the pick-off supportaswitchadjacent to said pivoted means and controlling said electrically responsive means, said pivoted meansbeing adapted to close said switch whenever the engaged pin at the pickoff support is withdrawn, whereby the plunger delivers another pinto; replace the withdrawn pin,-andmeans for opening the switch in'response to eachpin-delivering movement of the plunger, whereby the. plunger is conditioned for a return movement under the influence of its said bias.

6;;Hairpin dispensing; apparatus-,. comprising. a membeitproviding supportfor azhairpinzat a picke off: station-Lands having an opening therethrough: aina distance; fromzsaidpick-ofi station, a frame.

projecting; downward from said member providingnspacezfortholdinga stacked supply of hairpins.

below andialignedwithl the opening in said member, aaplunger slidably. mounted at the upper side of said member and movable inzdirections toward and;fromlsaid. pick-off. station, means constantly biasing the:plunge11 in direction away from the pickeofiwstationa electro-responsive means for movingthe plunger. toward the pick-off station,

springcmeansconstantly urging the stackedsupply of hairpins. upwardly toward said member thereby to; position the uppermost pin or the,

stacklin. delivery. relation to said plunger, said plunger. having a. portion which extends. between theilegsr-of the adjacentendmost pin of the. stack. closely adjacent to the closed end of that pin in,

REFERENCES CITED The'following' references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name. Date 605,089 Dexter June '7, 1898 1,637,710- Rider Aug. 2,v 1927 1,713,748 Dimitrakis May 21, 1929 2,128,443 Vogel Aug. 30, 1938 2147,9541 Kozel'et-al Feb. 21, 1939 2,522,656 Whalen Sept. 19, 1950 

